I woke knowing that my first task of the day would be my toughest. This was confirmed by the soreness in my glutes and legs as I sat on the edge of my bed. The pain is not scary this time, it is the familiar ache of training. Still, I know that my legs will feel like bricks on my tempo today, and it is my own fault. Why? Well, because I dropped the ball on my strength routine.
I don’t like strength work. I understand its value, so I write it into my plan and intend to execute every week. Still, it is the first thing dropped when life gets extra hectic. With that, my body gets out of the routine, leaving my muscles to readapt when I eventually pick up the weights again.
The 2019 NYC Marathon is just over 16 weeks away. A successful marathon cycle requires routine. My body thrives on the week-to-week rhythm. Aside from an occasional blip, I do my best to maintain this consistency. This includes strength training, which pays significant dividends in durability.
For me, it has always been two sessions per week of 45-60 minutes each. The harsh truth is, I am bored, and I don’t enjoy it, ever. Putting on my coach’s cap, I realize it is time for a change.
THE PROMISE
To keep motivated, I will:
- REVITALIZE MY ROUTINE – Redesign the flow of my workouts.
- BUILD IN ACCOUNTABILITY- Post my workouts to my blog. (Feedback welcome.)
- AVOID STALENESS – Consistently update workouts every three weeks.
My new plan is as follows:
Three weekly sessions of strength including-
SESSION I: 20 min AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) + 10 min AMRAP – core specific
SESSION II: Strength (not for time) two circuits (3x each) followed by a core superset x2
SESSION III: 15 mins continuous core
Sessions I & III to follow a run. Session II will either be a double session, later on a run day, or on a non-run day. The total volume (in minutes) is comparable to what I have done in the past, but the design is fresh. Included below are the specifics for the next three weeks.
THE SHARE
July 8 – July 28
SESSION I:
20 MIN AMRAP (10 reps each)
Sumo Squats
Push Ups
Single Leg Squats to (12”) Box
Push Press
Single Leg Bridges (one foot on box)
Back Flys
-THEN-
10 MIN AMRAP CORE (20 reps each or per side)
Bird Dogs
Elbow Plank (20 sec hold) to
High Plank with Shoulder Taps
Full Body Superman
Side Plank with Leg Raises
Bicycles with 5 second isometric hold on every 5th rep
SESSION II:
3x Circuit One (10 reps each or per side)
Wrap Squats
Single Arm Bench Press
Romanian Dead Lift
Around the World Plank (one way around = one rep)
3x Circuit Two (10 reps each or per side)
Single Leg Bridge with plate
Wall Sit with Chest Press Out
Isometric Bridge with Skull Crushers
Copenhagen Plank with Lower Leg Raises
2x PhysioBall Core Superset
Circles
Front-Back
ABCs
Upper Body Hypers
Crunches on Ball
Knee Drive (elbows on ball – knee to ball)
V-Ups with straight leg kick (shin to ball)
SESSION III:
15 minutes (no rest) continuous core 20 reps each
Exercises to vary week to week.
This post is a promise to myself and a share with anyone who might be looking to liven up their own routine. Feel free to give ‘em a go!
What is the greatest mental or physical challenge in your fitness routine? What’s most likely to interfere with consistency?
Join me. Make a promise to yourself. Investments in wellness always bring positive returns.
Let’s get stronger together.
*Please leave comments if you try any of these sessions or have feedback or questions on what I have written. Thank you!
One of my challenges is post workout stretching and my PT exercises. Sounds like you have a nice strength training program.
I hear you on the stretching too. It’s so important, but those routines all add up. I try to make sure that I do a good job of stretching and rolling after my harder runs at minimum. Recovery between workouts is key to keeping healthy and keeping our eyes on those NYC goals!